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Lisa Dickerson
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
When we have a Mass said for someone we have to pay some money.
- What is the money for?
- Where does this money go?
- Why do we have to pay for the Mass prayer?
A non-Catholic asked us these questions and we didn't know the answers.
Lisa
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Why do we have to pay to have a Mass prayer said for someone and where does the money go? }
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Mary Ann replied:
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Lisa —
You are asked to make a nominal payment, $5.00 in most dioceses, if you are able to,
as a sacrificial offering. The stipend goes to the support of the priest who says the Mass.
Many missionaries live and do their work with these stipends.
Mary Ann
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Mike replied:
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Dear Lisa,
Thanks for the good question.
In a previous answer I said:
Because the Scriptures confirm that a worker is worth his wage
(Luke 10:3-9), it is normal to give, what's called, a stipend to the priest.
It's not absolutely necessary, but justice does call for something.
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We also replied in a previous posting:
[T]he Church, nor any priest, is not going to get rich over saying Masses for the faithful departed or for the living faithful.
Our Blessed Lord has told us in the Scriptures that a worker is worth his wage.
It is only just that the time a priest spends on the specific spiritual needs of one
or more people, correspond to his wage.
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I hope you can explain this to your non-Catholic friend. If you can't, come back but also try
searching our knowledge base; we have answered similar questions below:
Hope this helps,
Mike
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